JewishGen.org Discussion Group FAQs
What is the JewishGen.org Discussion Group?
The JewishGen.org Discussion Group unites thousands of Jewish genealogical researchers worldwide as they research their family history, search for relatives, and share information, ideas, methods, tips, techniques, and resources. The JewishGen.org Discussion Group makes it easy, quick, and fun, to connect with others around the world.
Is it Secure?
Yes. JewishGen is using a state of the art platform with the most contemporary security standards. JewishGen will never share member information with third parties.
How is the New JewishGen.org Discussion Group better than the old one?
Our old Discussion List platform was woefully antiquated. Among its many challenges: it was not secure, it required messages to be sent in Plain Text, did not support accented characters or languages other than English, could not display links or images, and had archives that were not mobile-friendly.
This new platform that JewishGen is using is a scalable, and sustainable solution, and allows us to engage with JewishGen members throughout the world. It offers a simple and intuitive interface for both members and moderators, more powerful tools, and more secure archives (which are easily accessible on mobile devices, and which also block out personal email addresses to the public).
I am a JewishGen member, why do I have to create a separate account for the Discussion Group?
As we continue to modernize our platform, we are trying to ensure that everything meets contemporary security standards. In the future, we plan hope to have one single sign-in page.
I like how the current lists work. Will I still be able to send/receive emails of posts (and/or digests)?
Yes. In terms of functionality, the group will operate the same for people who like to participate with email. People can still send a message to an email address (in this case, main@groups.JewishGen.org), and receive a daily digest of postings, or individual emails. In addition, Members can also receive a daily summary of topics, and then choose which topics they would like to read about it. However, in addition to email, there is the additional functionality of being able to read/post messages utilizing our online forum (https://groups.jewishgen.org).
Does this new system require plain-text?
No.
Can I post images, accented characters, different colors/font sizes, non-latin characters?
Yes.
Can I categorize a message? For example, if my message is related to Polish, or Ukraine research, can I indicate as such?
Yes! Our new platform allows members to use “Hashtags.” Messages can then be sorted, and searched, based upon how they are categorized. Another advantage is that members can “mute” any conversations they are not interested in, by simply indicating they are not interested in a particular “hashtag.”
Will all posts be archived?
Yes.
Can I still search though old messages?
Yes. All the messages are accessible and searchable going back to 1998.
What if I have questions or need assistance using the new Group?
Send your questions to: support@JewishGen.org
How do I access the Group’s webpage?
Follow this link: https://groups.jewishgen.org/g/main
So just to be sure - this new group will allow us to post from our mobile phones, includes images, accented characters, and non-latin characters, and does not require plain text?
Correct!
Will there be any ads or annoying pop-ups?
No.
Will the current guidelines change?
Yes. While posts will be moderated to ensure civility, and that there is nothing posted that is inappropriate (or completely unrelated to genealogy), we will be trying to create an online community of people who regulate themselves, much as they do (very successfully) on Jewish Genealogy Portal on Facebook.
What are the new guidelines?
There are just a few simple rules & guidelines to follow, which you can read here:https://groups.jewishgen.org/g/main/guidelines
Thank you in advance for contributing to this amazing online community!
If you have any questions, or suggestions, please email support@JewishGen.org.
Sincerely,
The JewishGen.org Team
questions regarding Poland travel
#poland
Leah Kushner
Hi All
I have been planning a 10-day Jewish heritage trip to Poland for almost a year now. The trip begins this April. We are working with a Krakow genealogist with a degree in Jewish Polish history. I put together the itinerary. We are having Shabbat with the local Krakow JCC. It is a small group of 14 >from Santa Cruz. We are traveling with a Rabbi. I would like to talk to anyone who has traveled to Poland as I have some logistical questions about the shtetl's we are visiting, synagogues, cemeteries, and some questions about restaurants, Klezmer, etc. Please write me privately. Also if anyone is interested in joining us please write me privately as well. Most of the people traveling have Polish roots. Warmly, Leah Kushner Santa Cruz, CA
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Re: What happened to threads?
Sue Martin
Sounds great, but I do not see "view/reply online". I am able to reply (obviously), but I don't see anything regarding viewing all X messages in topic.
Sue Martin Cape Cod
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ViewMate translation request - should be Russian, not Polish
#poland
Ivan Mow <ivanmow@...>
Hi,
My email below states in the Subject area and body that these are Polish translations. I made a mistake, as they are Russian. I have made the correction in the message below. Thank you for your help Regards. Ivan Mow Hi, I've posted vital records in Russian for which I need translations please. They are on ViewMate at the following addresses ... http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76713 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76717 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76718 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76719 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76720 I would be so grateful for help with this, as I have had this for many years, and now attempting to build my family tree. Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page, or, respond using my email address ivanmow@gmail.com Thank you very much. Regards. Ivan Mow ivanmow@gmail.com
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ViewMate Translation request - German
#poland
Judy Golan <judygolan@...>
Hi,
I've posted on ViewMate a birth registration >from 1825 Bohemia relating to my extended FEDERMAN ancestry: https://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76733 It's for the birth of Salomon FEDERMAN with parents Abraham and Ludmilla. Can anyone translate the vital details (exact date, town, mother's maiden name and whatever else is added)? Many thanks, Judy Golan JRI-Poland Kielce Area Coordinator
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Viewmate clarification request English
#belarus
W McGuire
I am requesting a clarification of the location in Russia written on
Line 1 in Column 10 and also in Column 11 on a 1910 US passenger manifest for Ite Zarchin. It is posted at https://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76755. Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page. Thank you in advance for your help. Wendy McGuire
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Seduva- Lost shtetl project
#lithuania
Saul Issroff
Excellent article on the Lost Shtetl project
Jerusalem Post. -Jewish life in Lithuania before the Holocaust The project Lost Shtetl tells the story of Jewish Shadeve: "I want to showcase the dazzling vibrancy and richness of Lithuanian-Jewish life before the Holocaust". https://tinyurl.com/vunv5qs https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Jewish-life-in-Lithuania-before-the-Holocaust-614261 Saul Issroff
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ViewMate translation request - Polish
#poland
Ivan Mow <ivanmow@...>
Hi,
I've posted vital records in Polish for which I need translations please. They are on ViewMate at the following addresses ... http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76713 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76717 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76718 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76719 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76720 I would be so grateful for help with this, as I have had this for many years, and now attempting to build my family tree. Please respond via the form provided on the ViewMate image page, or, respond using my email address ivanmow@gmail.com Thank you very much. Regards. Ivan Mow ivanmow@gmail.com
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New and Updated Databases on IGRA’s Website-Over 1.5 million listings
Elena Bazes
The Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRA) is proud to announce that with the addition of the following new and updated databases on its website, there are now more than 1.5 million listings in our All Israel Databases (AID) from the periods of the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate in Palestine/Eretz Israel and the State of Israel. We want to thank the participating archives and the many volunteers who have prepared these databases. With each release we provide a variety of records to our collection.
A preview of the databases is available at https://www.slideshare.net/igra3/2020-01-igra-release New Databases Mauritius Detainees Requests for Release 1942 86 Listings Parcels to Europe Post WWII from Palestine, Senders and Recipients 15,1540 Listings
Updated Databases Tel Aviv Census, Various Neighborhoods 1928 8,583 Listings
Before viewing the databases, please register for free on the IGRA website:
To view the databases, go to http://genealogy.org.il/AID/index.php
Please note, images can be seen by paid IGRA members only. If you are not an IGRA member, you will be able to see the transcriptions only. Elena Biegel Bazes Publicity Chair
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ViewMate translation request - Polish/German: MARGULIS from Krakow
Ofer Manela
Dear All, I've posted a death record from Krakow for which I need a translation. The titles are in German and the text is in Polish. It is on ViewMate at the following addresses: Please respond via the form provided in the ViewMate application. Many thanks, Ofer Manela Petach-Tikva Researching: KLIN / KLEIN, TIMBERG, HALMAN / HELMAN Chrzanow, Krakow MANELA, KWART, GOLDRAT Everywhere LANDAU / LANDA Szczekociny, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Rozprza, /TRAJMAN Szczekociny LINDNER/LONDNER LEWI, Szczekociny, Zarnowiec, Koniecpol MIKULICKI - Lida area
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Re: Once upon a time there was a moderator for this group.....
I agree that no one is apparently monitoring comments and, many people have not read the Discussion Group requirements for posting messages. One of the worst titles that caused me, and many others, to totally ignore it, is the post, “thoughts – opinions.” The person posting this message needs to be very specific. You need to state “thoughts and opinions” about what?? The title of your post is critical to getting good results. Use proper capitalization and don’t use abbreviations that others may not understand. Capitalize family names. Tell us who and where you are and, describe in your message what time frame you are investigating and what the country or city of interest is. Your post should tell a full story and be able to stand on its own. We are all very busy and many people I know read more than a hundred emails every day. Most won’t even bother to open a message with a vague title. Of course this isn’t about me, it’s about you! If you spend the time researching your family, and your time is valuable, it is important that you get the best result from your efforts especially when you broadcast a question that goes to thousands of people in the Jewishgen world. You should also be aware that your message is going into a database that Jewish researchers may be reading years from now. Wouldn’t you want to carefully prepare your message to the future? I would suggest that you compose your message in “WORD” or another word processing program. Check the spelling, punctuation, and the gramma and highlight the family surnames you are researching and note where your families were living in the past. Put this information at the bottom of each message. When you get things just right, then cut and paste the message into the Jewishgen Discussion Group. Good luck in your research!
Joel IVES Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Researching: ISKOWITZ, Bucharest, Romania MENDEL, Buhusi, Romania KAPLAN, Lomza, Poland ABOWITZ, Sniadowo, Poland ZANKEL, Bohorodczany, Austria-Hungary GLASER, Ivano-Frankivst, Ukraine KORSUNSKY, Odessa, Russia POKIDIELLO, Novoukrainka, Russia
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Passenger arrival records
Gayle Schlissel Riley
Can someone help me find my grandfather's arrival records..I have tried
but got no where..Hersch Schlissel born 1896 in Tarnobrzeg. his mother
was Goldie/Chawa maiden name EDER.. They went to Detroit to father
Pincus/Paul I figure they came into NYC They arrived in 1900..Please
help me.. Passenger lists are the hardest..Thanks
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Re: Do you keep passports?
fotolinda
I appreciate all of you who responded with your own research and keeping passports. I believe I have an earlier passport of my grandfather's that would give me more "insight" into him. This one is later in his years, with only 2 stamps- I think given in the last 10 years of his life. I know my grandparents were very much world travelers, and this one doesn't show it.
I am lucky I got to interview him and my grandmother back in the 90s and get some good stories. My mother was even surprised with what I got- she never heard the story of her mother traveling over on the Rotterdam to Ellis Island, but she knew she came from Makow, Poland and that [my mother's] father was born in Utica, NY. I will be sure to hold onto the passports I find from relatives, and will probably scan this one's inside cover, just to have with my files. -- Linda D. Epstein fotolinda@... Grodno and Sokolka: TIKOTZINSKI---> EPSTEIN
Minsk: SPUND Makow: SAFIAN, SAFFIAN, WEINSTEIN Ruzany: GROSSMAN
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Re: Once upon a time there was a moderator for this group.....
Peter Lebensold
To answer the initial question and to Peter's below, yes "Virginia" there are still moderators on duty who must approve, edit, reject or delete every single post. However, our job is NOT to be an English teacher. We will not correct spelling, we will not correct grammar, we will not capitalize a last name, and we will not check to see if a link is correct. We will simply make certain of the following rules:
Personally, I believe in a lot of communication so in my case I will approve almost everything that applies to the above rules and maybe even beyond. However, if there is a technical issue, a gripe or complaint about the site, please do not send it to the JewishGen Discussion group but to support@.... Also, understand that a single word like "thanks" or "OK" is not really relevant to send to over 7,500 individuals in a discussion group. Also please know that we are volunteers and in my case, it is my way of "giving back" to JewishGen for all that they do and have done to Jewish Genealogy. We not only have to approve posts but new members as well. If you have any questions, or suggestions, please email the moderation team at moderators@.... Thank you for your understanding Moderator on Duty Naomi: As a former moderator for this group myself, I - too - have been wondering the same thing. Moderators not only made sure that queries included all relevant information, that subject lines were informative (i.e. not simply "Help needed"), that duplicate questions ("Was my name changed at Ellis Island ...?) were referred to the appropriate previous discussions, and that senders' names were included: Moderators also double-checked links to make sure they were correct ... changed subject lines when a discussion shifted over to another issue ... headed off off-topic discussions (sometimes terminating those that seemed to have exhausted themselves) ... corrected the inevitable gobbledygook that resulted from correspondents trying to include accented characters (presumably no longer a problem) ... and performed such housekeeping functions as (a) making certain all family names were in caps, (b) limiting "Searching for" listings to no more than 6 lines, and (c) placing all meeting announcements at the end of the digest. I'd be interested in learning if we still have moderators and - if so - whether their responsibilities have been changed. Peter LEBENSOLD Toronto
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Dutch Jewish genealogy site is closing
N. Summers
I just saw this on the web and thought I’d pass it along: In the summer of 2020 Amoetat Akevoth will cease its activities. Since our search of many years for motivated and suitable candidates to continue the development and maintenance of the Dutch Jewish Genealogical Data Base (the DJGB) came to nothing, we regret that this step became inevitable. In preparation for this drastic change, everything possible will be done to preserve our databases in a secure environment, maintaining accessibility for our public, with no meaningful changes in the existing interface and lay-out: though certain inevitable limitations will be forced upon us, they will be kept to a bare minimum (as explained below). To read the rest of the article, go to: https://www.dutchjewry.org/ Nancy S. Maryland USA FINKELSTEIN, LUSMAN (Radzivilov, Ukraine); BOOKSTEIN/BUCHSTEIN (Ostrog, Poland); LEAF/LIFSHITZ (Rechitsa); ALPER/LISS
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Translation from Yiddish requested - SHOCHET, FLAXMAN #Romania,
Yohanan
Please can you help in translating from Yiddish, family related words from the back side of 2 photos taken about 1930s
See in Viewmates: http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76759 http://www.jewishgen.org/viewmate/viewmateview.asp?key=VM76760
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Re: What Happened To Threads
Bev Potter <basha@...>
I have to agree with you Dani.
We used to be able to follow a "conversation" - if you will. I even read the threads that didn't specifically apply to my interests - on the off chance that I might learn something. On the old system, I wasn't particularly happy with all the directives to "answer privately". After all, someone's specific answer might turn out to be the clue that I was looking for. But now.. and I know someone at Jewishgen won't be happy with me for saying this... this new system is pretty awful.
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Re: What happened to threads?
Nicole Heymans
On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 09:36 AM, Dahn Cukier wrote:
I am getting replies but have no idea where or how
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Re: Once upon a time there was a moderator for this group.....
Angie Elfassi
Hi,
I agree with Naomi Barnett. In addition, I wrote some time ago regarding writing family surnames in CAPITALS, as was once the case. JewishGen, what's going on? Regards Angie Elfassi Israel "I find it curious that some posters to this group don't consider it necessary to state where they reside in the world and numerous posters don't add a signature. Surely when anyone sends a message to a friend or work colleague or a business, emails are always signed. Once upon a time there was a moderator who kept us all in line and brought these omissions to our attention. I'm not suggesting we need to go back to an overseer but common courtesy would be welcome and appreciated.
Naomi Barnett
Melbourne, Australia"
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The Zamosc Memorial Book is now On Line
Jack Berger
Folks,
I am most pleased to announce that my English translation of ‘Pinkas Zamosc,’ called ‘The Zamosc Memorial Book’ is now available on line for general view.
It can be found in my ‘vinkl,’ by going to www.zelva.org
In the upper LEFT hand corner of the home page, you will see a box labelled “Yizkor Books.” Click on it.
This will bring you to the inventory listing of my translations, and you will readily see where the icons are for those files that are online.
I completed and published the hard copy of The Zamosc Memorial Book over fifteen years ago. It is the largest of the corpus of books that I have so processed, running over 800 pages.
The Jewish history of Zamosc is replete with the splendor of the development of Eastern European Jewish culture. That splendor is not confined to matters of religious scholarship by any means. If nobody else, most readers will recognize the name of I. L. Peretz, who was born in Zamosc, and is among the brightest of stars in the constellation of Jewish literary accomplishment.
You will also learn of the enlightenment of the Count Jan Zamoyski, who after being the Chancellor of the University of Padua, opened his city to Jews, particularly Sephardic Jews fleeing the pitiless Spanish Inquisition, accepting them as legitimate citizens.
I could go on, but you should read this material yourselves. There is much to be learned.
Regards Jack
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Re: thoughts - opinions
Esther
I feel it important to list (perhaps in parenthesis) stillborns and even miscarriages. This information can be very helpful for a person's medical history. ESTHER (Herschman) Rechtschafner Kibbutz Ein-Zurim, Israel
ESTHER
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